GLENWOOD, IOWA – A Florida man died after a pickup truck driver ran him down as he rode his bike near the start of this year’s RAGBRAI ride.
Wayne L. Ezell, age 72 of Jacksonville, Florida, was pronounced dead at the scene of an accident near Glenwood, Iowa, the Iowa State Patrol reported. The accident took place about 6:39 AM on westbound U.S. Highway 34.
Ezell was riding a bicycle westbound Highway 34 when Robb Philippus, age 34 of Glenwood, drove his 2012 GMC K2500 pickup truck, also westbound at the same location. Philips struck Ezell as he rode his bicycle. He was thrown from the bike and came to rest on the north shoulder. Philippus pulled his truck to the side of the road.
Ironically, as this year’s RAGBRAI launched Sunday morning, riders honored the lives lost and affected by bicycle-related deaths in a mile of silence.
WATCH: #RAGBRAI riders honor lives lost and affected by bicycle-related deaths in mile of silence. pic.twitter.com/w5duedlUI5
— RAGBRAI (@RAGBRAI_IOWA) July 24, 2016
Why was he riding west in the first place?
People riding bikes need to obey the rules of the road and stay to the side. They are very hard to see and constantly turn in front of a driver with no warning. They cut across lanes and ride down the middle or on the wrong side of the road.
Only the stupid ones, that give the rest of us a bad name